The present disclosure relates to devices for supplying medical gas, such as oxygen, including devices for attachment to portable tanks of medical gas, regulating the flow of the medical gas, providing a calibrated flow of the fluid in at least either a continuous mode of operation or in an intermittent mode of operation, devices for filling portable tanks of medical gas, and fluid compressors.
Patients with lung diseases frequently need oxygen delivered to their lungs as part of their therapy. In certain known therapies, a continuous flow of oxygen is supplied to a patient. However, a continuous flow is not required at all times, such as when the patient is exhaling. It is also known to provide oxygen conserving devices that supply oxygen to the patient in an intermittent fashion.
It is known to provide patients with a conserving device attached to a portable storage tank of oxygen to increase patient mobility. These devices may be further connected to an oxygen concentrator device or fill device. Exemplary oxygen concentrator or fill devices include those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,165; U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,134; U.S. Pat. No. 6,302,107; U.S. Pat. No. 6,889,726; U.S. Pat. No. 6,805,122; U.S. Pat. No. 6,923,180; the disclosures each of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein. Further exemplary oxygen concentrator devices or fill devices include the DeVilbiss iFill brand personal oxygen station available from Sunrise Medical located at 100 DeVilbiss Drive, Somerset, Pa. 15501, the Total O2 brand delivery system available from Chad Therapeutics, Inc. located at 21622 Plummer Street, Chatsworth, Calif. 91311, and the HomeFill II oxygen filling system available from Invacare Corporation located in Elyria, Ohio.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a pneumatic conserver is provided.
In a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a conserver which receives a fluid from a source of pressurized fluid and provides fluid to a patient through a single lumen cannula is provided. The conserver comprising: a body having a fluid input, a fluid output adapted to be coupled to a cannula, and a fluid passage configured to connect the input to the output; a pressure reduction section disposed within the body and in fluid communication with the fluid passage, at least one user input supported by the body; and a controller positioned downstream of the pressure reduction section. The pressure reduction section receiving fluid from the fluid inlet of the body at a first pressure and providing fluid to a portion of the fluid passage positioned downstream of the pressure reduction section. The controller having a first configuration to provide a continuous flow of fluid to the fluid outlet of the body in a continuous mode and to provide an intermittent flow of fluid to the fluid outlet of the body in an intermittent mode, the intermittent mode and the continuous mode being selectable by the at least one user input. The conserver further comprising a coupler coupled to the body. The coupler having a fluid conduit in fluid communication with the fluid inlet of the body. The coupler being adapted to couple to a source of pressurized fluid, wherein the coupler is made from a first material selected from the group of a brass based material, a copper based material, and a titanium based material and the body is made from a second material selected from the group of an aluminum based material, a composite based material, and a polymeric based material.
Additional, features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.